Golden Yunnan from Rishi Tea

by teaequalsbliss

Tea Type: Black Tea

Where To Buy: Rishi

Product Description:

This certified organic black tea is harvested from Yunnan’s ancient tea trees. Its deeply flavored infusion has notes of peppery spice, chocolate, sweet raisin, and a malty finish. Golden Yunnan has expertly fermented, even graded leaves and big, golden buds. Its wonderfully full-flavored and rich body is a treat for black tea lovers.

Tasters Review:

This is a great cup to start your day with whether it be the work day or a weekend wake-up!  It’s Robust and malty yet sweet and almost caramelly.  I can pick out the raisin comparison they mentioned in the description but not-so-much the chocolate they speak of but that’s ok because I like the taste I am tasting!  The spicy-peppery notes really work here!  The primary flavor is a strong black tea and I LOVE that!

teaequalsbliss

Co-Founder/Co-Creator of Sororitea Sisters at Sororitea Sisters Jennifer (TeaEqualsBliss) is in her upper 30s and lives in the eastern snowbelt area of the US with her husband, 3 dogs, and cat (however the number of furkids can change at anytime as she LOVES providing a forever home for many shelter animals. Her several interests include music, movies, veganism, sports, traveling, collecting Baseball Cards and Unicorns, Radio, Computers, Crafting, and of course…TEA. She started drinking tea at the tender age of 3 thanks to her Grandmother and her love for tea has gotten stronger with each year! In addition to being a co-founder/co-creator of Sororitea Sisters - her main site is MyBlissfulJourney.com. Find out more about Jennifer on MyBlissfulJourney.com.

This post was posted in Black Tea

Vermont Maple Tea from Teavana

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit & Spice Melangé

Where to Buy:  This tea is no longer available from Teavana

Company Description:

This herbal tisane tastes of crisp apples, toasted almonds, and cinnamon all sweetened with a rich natural maple syrup taste. Drink year round to remind yourself of chilly winters around the hearth.

Taster’s Review:

I admit that I have a weakness when it comes to maple.  So, naturally, this tisane was very appealing to me.

The maple flavor here is blended with the flavors of cinnamon and apple and a faint hint of almond.  The combination is truly wonderful.  The cinnamon notes are spicy, but not “red hot” hot – perhaps its the maple that curbs some of the spicier tones of the cinnamon.  The apple offers a sweet smoothness to the overall cup – and it’s a bit like apple cider with a heavy infusion of maple flavor.

But what is wonderful about it is that even though it is sweet, it is not cloying.  It has a wonderful, warming taste that is truly comforting.

A friend sent me some of this tea, and as I sit here sipping it, I can’t help but feel a little wistful that it is no longer available.  It is one of the best teas/tisanes I’ve tried from Teavana.

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane, Spice Melange

Chocolate and Ginger Spice from TeaFrog

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Spice Melange

Where to Buy:  TeaFrog

Company Description:

Ingredients: Chicory Roasted, Chocolate Pieces, Cacao Pieces, Red Peppercorns, Ginger Pieces

Taster’s Review:

This is one of the most unusual spice “melange” teas/tisanes that I’ve come across.  The chocolate flavor is sweet yet savory, and the spices enhance that savory experience.

I’m getting peppery, warm spice taste, as well as deep, roasted flavor.  I like the way these tastes come together… it is spicy, but not too spicy… sweet, but not too sweet.  And the roasty-toasty flavor that I’m getting from the chicory is more of a background note, so it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors.

And then there is the CHOCOLATE!  And that is what attracted me to this blend in the first place.  The chocolate is rich and is what I would call a mix of semi-sweet chocolate morsels and a high quality cocoa powder.  Just enough bitter, just enough sweet, just enough savory to make this a delightful chocolate-y cocoa experience!

If I were to change anything about this particular blend, I’d add more chocolate.  Perhaps some cacao shells?  This would really add some deep, rich, chocolate flavor.

But, other than wanting more chocolate (and I ALWAYS want more chocolate) I really like the way this melange comes together.  It’s a nice fusion of flavors!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Spice Melange

Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea

by teaequalsbliss

Tea Type: Black Tea

Where To Buy: Octavia Tea

Product Description:

All of the elements of a pie baked fresh on a brisk autumn evening find their way into this spiced black tea. Exotic cardamom and clove are married with ginger, cinnamon and clementine orange in this rich, flavorful blend. Wonderful with a touch of milk and sugar.

HARVEST ORANGE SPICE
organic, fair trade black tea (tin)

  • 100% organic, fair trade certified black tea
  • 100% organic cardamom
  • 100% organic cinnamon
  • 100% organic ginger
  • 100% organic clove
  • 100% organic licorice root
  • 100% organic black pepper
  • Pure essential oil of orange

This tea is USDA Certified Organic and Fair Trade.

Tasters Review:

I have tried a lot of orange flavored teas with spices in them and them seem to either ‘miss the mark’, have bored me, tasted very chemically-soapy-or FAKE, or just plain bad.  This one was very different!

Harvest Orange Spice smells very spicy and orange…so…I decided to under infuse for…only about 2 minutes. I didn’t want the spice to over power everything else.  Normally I steep for the longer suggested infusions because I want them stronger.  This one I was afraid to based on the extreme scent of the spices.  With the under infusion it seemed to work out quite well and I was VERY impressed with it. I suppose next time I could infuse longer now that I am not afraid of the spice in this. The orange is lovely, Juicy, and Citrus!  The spice was just right and the orange tasted quite natural.

I like this a lot.  I have found an Orange Spice Tea for me!  Thank you, Octavia!

teaequalsbliss

Co-Founder/Co-Creator of Sororitea Sisters at Sororitea Sisters Jennifer (TeaEqualsBliss) is in her upper 30s and lives in the eastern snowbelt area of the US with her husband, 3 dogs, and cat (however the number of furkids can change at anytime as she LOVES providing a forever home for many shelter animals. Her several interests include music, movies, veganism, sports, traveling, collecting Baseball Cards and Unicorns, Radio, Computers, Crafting, and of course…TEA. She started drinking tea at the tender age of 3 thanks to her Grandmother and her love for tea has gotten stronger with each year! In addition to being a co-founder/co-creator of Sororitea Sisters - her main site is MyBlissfulJourney.com. Find out more about Jennifer on MyBlissfulJourney.com.

This post was posted in Black Tea